


Hiraeth - Clint

by CelticCross



Series: Hiraeth [2]
Category: Hawkeye (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:28:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28835622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticCross/pseuds/CelticCross
Summary: Laura allows Clint to see his kids
Relationships: Clint Barton/Laura Barton, Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Hiraeth [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114094
Kudos: 5





	Hiraeth - Clint

Leigh stepped out of the quinjet, blinking in the bright sunlight. She breathed in the familiar aroma; the far off tang of oiled machinery, the grasses that stretched for miles, roses that clung up the side of the farmhouse and smiled. It had been so long since she’d been here but it was still the same; the old dilapidated roofing on the machinery shed that let the rain in on one corner. It had never been repaired, instead an old water butt had been set up under it, that was siphoned off to water the roses. It was really quite clever and totally something she could see Clint doing.

She watched him and Nat ahead of her, smiling as they walked hand in hand, looking for all the world like condemned prisoners on their way to execution. It was a similar body language to when he’d asked her.

“Babybird.”

“Hawkeye.”

“I need your help.”

Leigh looked up from her desk to see him looking at her, his eyes wild and panicky.

“Clint, what the hell is wrong? What’s happened?”

He sighed loudly, slumping into the office chair, opposite her, all the breath seeming to leave his body in a rush.

“Clint, what the fuck is wrong? You’re scaring me now.”

He lifted worried eyes to her.

“I spoke with Laura.”

Leigh, stared at him, her eyebrows high on her face.

“Oh…how did that go?”

“She wasn’t happy with me” he admitted, sighing.

“I’ll bet; I’d be fucking furious with you.” She smiled, seeing him glance up at her a shocked look on his face, “What? I would be…” she grinned.

“Well, anyway, she was furious with me until I told her Nat was back…”

“Oh…what did she say?” Leigh looked at him concerned.

“She agreed to let me see my kids, wants me to bring you both next weekend, barring no missions…”

“Oh…,” she narrowed her eyes slightly, “You haven’t told her, have you? About me and Bucky?”

“No, I couldn’t, I didn’t want to…oh I dunno,…” he trailed off.

“You didn’t want her to know that you could happily be with one person, as long as that one person is Nat…am I right?” she said, smiling slightly, settling back in her chair. She groaned. She really needed another chair, this one gave her awful backache.

“Yeah…I guess so, was that wrong of me?”

“Cowardly…,” she paused, smiling softly, “but not wrong, these things are always easier face to face,” she sighed, turning to stare out the window, smiling as she caught sight of Bucky and Sam in the distance, “Ok, I’ll come with you, but…and it’s a big but…,” she grinned as he smirked, “mind out of the gutter Clint, I will bring Bucky with me. We can all sit round and explain it all to her.”

“Ok, thanks babybird, you’re the best.” He grinned, his boyish features lighting up, as he got up and walked out.

Leigh was still taken aback somewhat with how much he’d changed since Nat had returned to them. His way of walking was even different, lighter somehow. He still had darkness within but it no longer controlled him and it made her heart happy to see him this way.

Bucky had taken a little more persuasion to agree to it.

“Bucky? Babe?...” she called out as she entered their quarters.

“Doll….?” He replied, a hint of suspicion in his voice, as he looked up from the sofa, muting the TV.

“You love me right?” she smiled.

“With all my heart and soul…why? What do you want?” he asked, a sly grin on his handsome face.

She took a deep breath as she slid down next to him.

“ClintwantsmetogotolauraswithhimandNatandIwantyoutocomewithme.” She said in a rush.

“Say what? Clint wants what?”

She sighed, taking hold of his hand.

“Clint spoke with Laura and told her Nat is back, Laura wants to see us all. Clint never told her that I was no longer with them and I want you to be with me, for…I dunno, emotional back up? Please. This is the first time Clint will have seen his kids in over a year, and I don’t want to let him down, but I don’t want to be the spare part. Laura remarried, apparently, I don’t know anything, I didn’t ask but please? Please come with me?”

“So…what? I’m your emotional seeing eye dog, yeah?” he grinned, enjoying seeing her squirm.

“Well, yeah, kinda…plus you’re my partner and I’m proud of you and I want you with me.” She finished, blowing out a breath.

“What are you gonna do for me doll if I say yes?” he grinned slyly, his eyes smiling at her.

“Oh, I don’t know Sarge? What do you want?”

“Oh, I’m sure I can think of a couple of things…” he crooned, leaning over to nibble her neck.

“Oh yeah?” she breathed, enjoying his warm mouth on her skin.

“Yeah…I want off dishwasher duty for a month…” he whispered.

Leigh pulled back from him.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. I fucking hate that thing…all those greasy plates and bowls and the smell…” he screwed his nose up.

Leigh sat back, staring at him, before she broke into giggles.

“God, I love you James Barnes…” She grinned, pulling him in close.

“Does that mean I’m off dishwasher duty?” he murmured, pressing soft kisses against her jawline.

She just laughed and kissed him.

Leigh felt Bucky take her hand and they walked to catch up with Clint and Nat. She could fell Clint stiffen as they neared the farmhouse. Laura was standing in the doorway with a visible baby bump.

“You never said she was pregnant.” Nat whispered.

“Didn’t know…” Clint replied, holding her hand tight as they approached.

“Hi Laura,” Clint said, pulling Nat up the steps with him.

Laura eyed them both, looking behind him at Leigh and Bucky, seeing their clasped hands.

“Clint, Nat…seems we have a lot to talk about, come in.” she replied, moving back into the house, allowing the four of them to enter.

“So…how have you been Lar?” Clint asked as they sat down on the mismatched sofas.

“Busy, you?”

“Busy, yeah…” he trailed off, silence settling.

“I think it would best if Bucky and I stepped outside, give you guys some room?” Leigh suggested as the silence stretched on.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but who the hell is Bucky, and why is he here?” Laura pinned her with a firm gaze.

“Bucky…,” she felt him squeeze her hand, “Bucky is Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes and he’s my partner.”

“Oh? Since when?” Laura asked, her face blank.

“About six months?,” Leigh turned to look at the dark haired man next to her, “that sound about right to you?” she asked.

“Yeah, sounds about right to me doll.” He smiled at her; his eyes tender.

“Right, so…you’re no longer…”

“With Clint and Nat?...no, we haven’t been together for a long time. I’m sorry, I thought Clint would have told you this before, but he didn’t.” Leigh finished.

“I’m sorry Lar, I didn’t know how to put it…” Clint admitted.

“So it’s just you and Nat?” Laura asked, her frame stiff.

“Yes, it’s just Clint and me.” Nat replied, hooking her arm through Clint’s.

“I see…and is this an open relationship? Are you looking for a third person again? Forgive me, but I’m just trying to understand how you can go from an open marriage with me and having Nat and then Leigh and now you’re apparently content with just one person. So please, help me understand Clint.” She sat back, her hands resting on her swollen belly.

“I…” Clint began, faltering under Laura’s gaze.

“I couldn't have children. The organisation I used to work for sterilised me when I graduated from training. When I met Clint, when he made a different call and brought me in rather than taking me out, we spent a lot of time together and he would always talk about how much he wanted children, to be able to give his kids the life he didn’t have, and I wanted that for him, and then I wanted to give that to him but I couldn’t so, I let him go and he found you but…” she paused, to wipe away a tear.

“But I love her, so…” Clint squeezed her hand, smiling at her.

“So…you got together with me, married me and had kids with me, because Nat couldn’t, is that it?” Laura said, her voice the calm before the storm.

“I loved you too…” Clint said in a small voice.

“But not enough, evidently.” Laura rounded on him, her face drawn and troubled.

“I’m sorry Lar, I did love you but I loved…love Nat more.”

“You know, I went along with your need for an open marriage when you wanted to bring Nat in, because I thought you’d come back to me when it failed; when you realised that being with one person was the way it was meant to be, but you never did, instead you brought a third person in,” she glanced over at Leigh, “Me and the kids, when we snapped, and then came back, it was like no time had passed but you were so different, it was like I didn’t recognise you, so I let you go, I had to, I gave you your divorce and I let you go,” she paused, sighing deeply, “You hurt me Clint Barton, you hurt me a lot,” she sighed, “seems like a thing you do, but this past year or so, meeting Kevin and now this,” she smiled down at her bump, “has taught me a lot about forgiveness, life is short and so while I’m ok with you seeing your kids again, I won’t stop you, but I’m not sure I want you in my life anymore.”

“Ok.” Clint whispered, nodding, his face regretful and drawn.

“They’re out the back, if you want to take Nat and Bucky with you.” Laura sat, looking over at Leigh.

“Yes ma’am.” Clint said, his face lighting up with a wide smile as he got up, leading Nat out, turning to look at Bucky.

“You ok with this doll?” Bucky murmured before pressing a small kiss against her temple.

“I’m fine Buck, go, I bet Cooper will wanna kick a ball around or play baseball.” She smiled at him as he got up and left, nodding at Laura.

“How are you Leigh?”

“I’m…doing better, you?”

“Fat and happy.”

“Lar? I didn’t know he was with Nat before you, I always thought it was the other way round.”

“So did I, babybird but there’s no use being stuck in the past, tell me though, is he happy? With Nat?”

“You’ve never called me that before,” Leigh smiled at the older woman, “and yes, he’s happy. When…,” she paused, gathering her thoughts, “when he came back in, when I needed him, he was…he was dark and broken and I thought I could help him, that we’d get Nat back and everything would be fine, but…” she trailed off, her smile soft.

“I’m guessing you’re going to say but Bucky?” Laura smiled at her.

“Yes…but Bucky…” she grinned, her face lighting up as she thought of him.

“How did you…I mean, did you leave Clint or…I’m sorry it’s not my business.,” Laura apologised, “but I just wondered, if you left him how you did it, cause, god forgive me, that man is hard to leave, even after all he’s done, to you, to me, to the kids…it’s just hard. How do you deal with seeing him every day?”

“Helps that I’m the boss and he has to do what I tell him, or I take away his coffee and pizza,” Leigh laughed, “ but also…,” she sighed, “I spent so long waiting for him, wanting him, needing him that it almost consumed me but then…Bucky. He helped me see there is life beyond Clint Barton, and I love him with all my heart. I’m sorry Lar…”

“What for?”

“For allowing myself to be swept up with him, for intruding in on your life, upsetting you…”

“Oh Leigh, it was never you I was upset with. You…let me tell you something about Clinton Francis Barton, when he sets his sights on something or someone, there’s no getting away. He will reel you in, charm you with his silliness and warmth, get you wrapped around his little finger until you’ll agree to everything he wants, so no, I don’t blame you at all.”

“He’s not like that anymore.”

“Really? How…,” Laura exclaimed, her eyes wide.

“Nat, she’s different from before and she doesn’t put up with his shit anymore, in fact I’d say he’s wrapped around her little finger.”

“Well now, that makes me feel a little better, but really?” Laura smiled at her.

“He loaded and unloaded the dishwasher yesterday without being asked and brought her dinner to the table.”

Laura laughed, “Will you…will you keep in contact with me?”

“Of course, though I don’t know why you’d…”

“I need more stories like that…” Laura cackled, slowly getting up from the sofa.

“That I can do.” Leigh chuckled.

“Come on, let’s go watch our errant ex.”

Leigh smiled at the older woman, a sense of understanding flowing between them.

“Do you blame Nat?”

“Nat and Clint are peas in a pod…” was all Laura would say as they stepped outside to the screams and yells of the kids, as they ran rings around Bucky and Clint with a soccer ball.

Leigh helped Laura settle onto the porch seat.

“How far along are you? Not that I know anything about kids…”

“Six months, but it feels like years.”

“Wow, so you and Kevin were together…”

“About eight months, this little one slipped through the net, so to speak, but we’re happy. We got married soon after I discovered we were pregnant. One thing the snap taught me was life is too bloody short to waste, so what about you and Bucky? Any plans?”

Leigh choked on the juice she was drinking, spluttering as she turned to look at the sly grin on Laura’s face.

“Um, no…,” she sighed, “I’m not even sure that’s possible.”

“What do you mean?” Laura asked, as they watched Bucky rolling around, mock wrestling with Cooper and Clint, their yells of laughter loud across the fields.

“Did…did Clint ever mention the fall of the Triskelion? When Cap…Steve faced his old friend?”

“Yes, he did…oh…oh…god…Bucky Barnes. Oh my god, he’s the Winter Soldier?” Laura stated, a little shocked that the Hydra assassin, the Winter Soldier was currently wrestling with her eldest son in the dirt and having fun.

“He was, he’s now just Bucky, but so much was done to him, by Hydra and the KGB that we’re not even sure he can have kids, or even if he should. His DNA was messed up so much with the serum, that, well…no one can tell us exactly wat has happened to him and what that might mean. I know Steve, he went back and had kids with Peggy, but he was given a pure version of the serum, Bucky wasn’t, same with Nat. They both have super soldier strength, same as Steve, but no one can tell us yet the long term prognosis. Whether they’ll both have extended life or how it will affect their health as they get older. Helen Cho has been a god send and she’s working with them, but…”

Laura reached over and brought the younger woman in for a hug as they sat and watched their extended family.


End file.
